Democratic Women in Elected Office in SC

Senator Mia McLeod has shown leadership in and outside of government. With 18 years as an entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer of her own company, she has also served as a college educator, the state’s top victim advocate and has a distinguished career serving the people of  SC in the legislative and executive branches.

 

She has worked with Attorneys General and Governors of both parties to take on South Carolina’s crisis of domestic violence by developing the state’s first protocols and curricula for law enforcement, solicitors, judges and victim advocates, using a multi-disciplinary collaborative approach to training and implementation. While leading the state’s Crime Victim Compensation Program, the Program received national accolades for its innovative expansion of services and access to rural, underserved communities and was used as a model for other states. 

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website: miaforsc.com

Parks earned her B.S. from Johnson C. Smith University in 1976. She then attended Gupton-Jones School of Mortuary Science in 1977. Parks worked as a Licensed Real Estate Agent and as Director of Parks Funeral Home. She served as a member of the Greenwood City Council from 1988 to 1996. She has been an elected representative since 1996. 

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Business Phone: 864-229-3206

Home Phone: 864-223-3193

Leola Robinson-Simpson is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 25. She assumed office in 2012. Her current term ends on November 14, 2022.

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Robinson-Simpson ran for re-election to the South Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 25. She won in the general election on November 3, 2020. Her committee assignments include the Medical, Military, Public, and Municipal Affairs and the Regulations and Administrative Procedures Committee. 

 

Business Phone: 803-212-6941

Home Phone: 864-277-0232 

Annie McDaniel is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 41. She assumed office on November 12, 2018. Her current term ends on November 14, 2022.

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McDaniel ran for re-election to the South Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 41. She won in the general election on November 3, 2020. She is assigned to the Operations and Management and Education and Public Works Committee.

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Business Phone: 803-212-6789

Home Phone: 803-635-6894

Kimberly O. Johnson was born in Manning, South Carolina to her devoted parents, Senator Kevin L. Johnson and Gloria “Bee” Johnson. Along with her brother, Kenneth, and sister, Kyndra, the Johnson family made it their lifelong mission to do all the good they can and serve our community. This led Kim to make the greatest sacrifice one can make by enlisting in our nation’s military for eight years. She would then enroll at the University of South Carolina and receive both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She began working for a hometown bank, rising to the position of Marketing/Community Development Officer.

 

Johson is now advancing rural health needs as a Community Engagement Director for a healthcare provider in our area. Her service in her community would take her to numerous boards, nonprofits, and organizations: Clarendon County Relay for Life, The Friends of Weldon Advisory Board, Santee Lynches REC Advisory Board, Clarendon County Habitat for Humanity, Hope Health Board of Directors and the McLeod-Clarendon Hospital Advisory Board. She also served as Clarendon County School District Two Chairwoman.

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website: kimberlyojohnson.com

Wendy Brawley is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 70. She assumed office on June 20, 2017. Her current term ends on November 14, 2022.

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Brawley ran for re-election to the South Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 70. She won in the general election on November 3, 2020. She serves on the Medical, Military, Public, and Municipal Affairs Committee.

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Business Phone: 803-212-6961

Home Phone: 803-776-9286

Spencer began her career in public service as a prosecutor for the Charleston County Solicitor’s Office where she represented the people of South Carolina in criminal cases. In 2014, she brought her legal background and experience in advocacy to the City of Folly Beach where she served as City Administrator until 2020. She is proud to have worked with the Mayor, City Council, and an incredible team of law enforcement, building and zoning officials, water and sewer technicians, firefighters, IT experts, public works, and finance and administrative staff.

 

Her primary focus as Administrator was legislation, beach renourishment, resilience and disaster response, personnel, and budget management. She also serves on the state’s Tourism Expenditure Review Committee.

She is a graduate of Princeton University and Vanderbilt University Law School.  She lives on Folly Beach with her husband, two wonderful daughters, and two crazy dogs. On the weekends, you can usually find the whole family running the streets of Folly with strollers and skateboards or out on the water with boats and boards.

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Website: spencerwetmore.com

Representative Matthews won re-election in 2022. She will continue to give women a strong voice in the State House, remove the barriers to quality healthcare faced by our elderly and most vulnerable, and support a strong community economy with business growth, sustainable housing, and employment opportunities.

 

She currently serves on the Medical, Military, Public, and Municipal Affairs and Operations and Management Committees. She is the mother of five children and is currently employed by Boeing.  

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websites: krystleforsc.com

                matthewsforsenate.com

Senator Margie Bright Matthews is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, Class of 1985, as well as a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law, Class of 1989. As a proud lifelong resident of Walterboro, she opened her own law firm in her hometown where she still practices. In 2015, she was elected to her current seat in the State Senate in a special election. 

 

During her time in the State Legislature, Senator Bright Matthews has established herself as a leading voice on women’s rights, fighting for criminal justice reform, and improving public education for children across South Carolina.

 

She serves on the Corrections and Penology, Family and Veterans' Services, Judiciary, Medical Affairs, and Transportation Committees. 

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Website: margiebrightmatthewsforsenate.com

Chandra Dillard has been a State Representative from Greenville County since 2008. She began her public service on Greenville City Council in 1999 by making history as the first woman elected from her district.  Chandra currently serves as the SC House Deputy Minority Leader, a Member and past Treasurer of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus, and a Member and past Chair of the SC General Assembly Women’s Caucus.

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Her current committee assignments include serving on the Legislative Oversight Committee and the Labor, Commerce & Industry Committee. She has also been appointed to the special House Legislative Committee on Equitable Justice and Law Enforcement Reform.  She formerly served as Secretary on the House Ethics Committee and as the first woman Chair on the Environmental Affairs Subcommittee of the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee.  Chandra is also a former President of the Conference of Black Municipal Elected Officials.

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website: www.chandradillard.com

Rosalyn Henderson Myers is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 31. She assumed office on September 26, 2017. Her current term ends on November 14, 2022. Myers ran for re-election to the South Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 31. She won in the general election on November 3, 2020.

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Business Phone: 803-212-6965

Home Phone: 864-707-5384

Patricia Moore "Pat" Henegan is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 54th District. She is a member of the Democratic party. Henegan was first elected to office in 2014 and serves on Rules and Judiciary Committees. She is also the President of Legislative Black Caucus.

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Henegan married Ronald Benjamin Henegan, Sr. on February 3, 1969. They have  2 children, LaRhonda Henegan Williams and Ronald (Ronnie) Benjamin Henegan, Jr. She is a retired educator, retired assistant Superintendent, and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

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Business Phone: (803) 212-6896

Home Phone: (843) 479-7838

Gilda Cobb-Hunter was born November 5, 1952 and is a Democratic member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 66. She was first elected to the chamber in 1992. From 1997 to 2000, she served as State House Minority Leader.

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Hunter earned her B.S. from Florida A and M University in 1973. She went on to receive her M.A. from Florida State University in 1978. She then earned her LISW from the South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners in 1990. Hunter was a Teacher at Belleville Middle School in 1978. In 1979, she worked as an Instructor at South Carolina State University.

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She then worked as a caseworker for the Orangeburg Department of Social Services from 1979 to 1984. She has been Executive Director of CASA Family Services since 1985. She currently works as a Social Work Administrator.

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Home Phone: (803) 531-1257

Business Phone: (803) 534-2448

Beth Bernstein graduated from of the University of Georgia, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1991, and graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1994. After graduating from law school, she began practicing law with her father, Isadore S. Bernstein, and brother, Lowell E. Bernstein, and formed what is now known as Bernstein and Bernstein, LLC.

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Beth focuses her practice on residential real estate transactions and probate administration. She also represents clients in civil litigation actions.

She was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 1994. She also is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the United States District Court for South Carolina.

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She is a member of the South Carolina Bar Association, Richland County Bar Association, and the South Carolina Association for Justice.

In November 2012, Beth was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives for House District 78. She feels honored and privileged to be able to serve her community in this role.

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In December 2015, Beth was the recipient of the John W. Williams Distinguished Service Award, affectionately known as the “Tootie” Williams Award. This award is based upon distinguished and meritorious service to the legal profession or to the public in professional related activities. The Williams Distinguished Service Award is the highest recognition given by the Richland County Bar Association.

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Beth is a recipient of Business Monthly’s Top 50 Most Influential People in 2012. She currently is a member of the Palmetto Health Foundation Cancer Center Board and is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Columbia. She is Past President of the Richland County Bar Association and was selected as Columbia’s Top “20 under 40” in 2006. She has previously served on the following boards: Three Rivers Heritage and Music Foundation, Columbia Jewish Federation, Beth Shalom Synagogue, the Columbia Jewish Day School, South Carolina Philharmonic, and is a 1998 Graduate of Leadership Columbia.

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Business Phone (803) 799-7900

​Business Phone (803) 212-6940

Chardale R. Murray was born on November 29, 1975, and is an American politician. She is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 116th District, serving since 2020. She is a member of the Democratic party. She serves on the Interstate Cooperation and the Medical, Military, Public, and Municipal Affairs Committees.

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Murray is the owner and resident manager of Murray Funeral Home in Hollywood, SC. She has one son and is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for Canaan Bible College.  

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Home Phone: (843) 532-3657

Business Phone: (843) 744-5488